My Christmas present arrived a few days early.

On the Saturday before Christmas a couple of trucks from South Dakota pulled into a pasture in eastern Colorado and unloaded 93 bred bison heifers (two-year old females that will deliver a calf this spring). Eight are mine.

Finally, I am starting to rebuild my small herd.

A few years back, I went in with another bison producer and leased some pasture on the Colorado Plains. We were steadily building a bison herd, and developing a small meat company. Then, along came a drought. Grass withered, and hay prices skyrocketed. We had to abandon the pasture and sell most of our animals. I moved the remnants of my herd to a friend’s ranch.

Last year he acquired a lease on 8,200 acres of prairie grasslands, and invited me and another producer to join him in a partnership to put bison on the property. We’ve been spending days upgrading fencing, and getting the property ready.

This can be harsh country. One day, while fencing, the thermometer dropped from 58° in mid-morning to 27° by early afternoon. Another day, I lost my favorite old hat to a hefty wind gust.

Even this week, when I went to check on the animals, I observed from a distance because they were grazing on a far hillside beyond a snow-drifted gully impassable with my truck. But the bison were doing just fine, thank you. Wind gusts of 40 mph that rocked my truck didn’t seem to faze the animals. They were focused on enjoying a buffet of grasses exposed by the wind.

So, I just sat in my truck and watched. It was a very Merry Christmas.

About 40% of Americans will make New Year’s resolutions this year. The problem is not making the resolution, but keeping it. So aim for progress, not perfection.

Research shows that up to 60% of all resolutions fail for one reason or another. But there are steps you can take to help you keep your resolutions. The most important thing to remember when trying to start the new year with a change is that perfection is unattainable. If you set out to set yourself up for a perfect outcome, you may have already failed. Instead, set your sights on progress, not perfection. Setting realistic goals for your New Year is the best way to ensure that you attain those goals that are important enough to you to try to achieve. If, at the end of 2015, you’ve moved the needle in a positive way, you’ll have made progress that you can be proud of.

Here are a few tips to guide you toward resolution success.

•Make your goal attainable. If you want to lose weight, for instance, saying “I’m going to lose 20 pounds,” may be unrealistic.  The body will not always cooperate with our desires. There are many reasons why you may not be able to meet your goal. Instead, create a more realistic goal of “staying on my chosen eating plan.” Research shows that staying on an eating plan — any healthy eating plan — will yield weight loss. The key is consistency, not perfection. Let your body be the judge of how much weight you can lose within a certain time frame.

•Expect to have set-backs. You are human, after all, so you will back-slide. But if you embrace the idea that what you want is progress, not perfection, you will be able to put your slips into perspective. And that will allow you to pick yourself up and begin again, making it more likely that you will succeed in the long run.

•Accept that change is hard. Face it, it’s easier to eat a cupcake than not, especially if you’re at your favorite nieces 6th birthday party and the cupcakes are your favorite flavor. But research shows that any change that can last just 3 weeks can become permanent. So what you need is balance. Once again, aim for progress, not perfection. As you make your resolutions, make a plan for how you might handle such a situation. Take time to think about how staying on your diet might effect your life. Imagine what you will be giving up to reach your goal, (like food at your niece’s party) and come up with ways to deal with both the feelings the situation will create and the possibility of a slip-up. Having a plan of how you will handle tough situations will make it easier to accept the real consequences of your decision.

Making positive changes is a great way to start the new year. Just make sure you are realistic about your efforts, and aim for moving forward toward your goal. Perfection, as the saying goes, is the enemy of the good. Don’t let the idea of perfection derail your New Year’s resolutions.

So what are you doing for New Year’s Eve?

How about a trip to Japan? Okay, it is kind of short notice to do that. So why not do the next best thing.

Have some soba noodles on New Year’s Eve.

Soba are thin, long noodles made out of buckwheat. They’re a favorite in Japan all year long, but especially on New Year’s Eve.

They are served lots of ways, but at the end of the year they are dished up in a popular hot soup that can come along with a fish cake. And noisily slurping them is part of the fun.

The tradition goes that finishing your bowl of soba noodles before midnight will bring good luck in the coming year.

And that’s good enough reason to slurp your soba tonight. But, as they say, wait, there’s more!

And that has to do with the many health benefits of buckwheat, an unusual gluten-free fruit seed that’s actually more closely related to rhubarb than wheat.

Buckwheat is a real power food, high in easy-to-digest proteins and phytonutrient flavonoids such as rutin. Buckwheat also shines with high amounts of manganese, copper, magnesium, fiber and phosphorus.

And all those good things translate into helping to lower “bad” cholesterol, along with upping “good,” or HDL cholesterol levels, better blood sugar control and reducing your risk of diabetes, being good for your heart and even helping to prevent gallstones.

So here’s to noodles, luck and buckwheat, and a healthy and happy new year!

Well, since Buckwheat is the December Whole Grain Council grain of the month, I thought I better not let the month go by without giving it the attention it deserves. With a truckload of allergies of my own and two allergen sensitive grandkids, I am always looking for wheat and gluten free foods. Buckwheat is both. If you haven’t tried it, now is a great time to start!

If you thinking “Oh no, cereal,” think again. Buckwheat – which is not a grain at all but actually a fruit seed, can be put to use in soba noodles, breads and almost anything you can think of where wheat or wheat flour might be used. It’s high in lysine and both soluble and insoluble fiber, and has been shown to help lower blood glucose and insulin responses.

It is higher in B-complex vitamins, than quinoa, especially riboflavin (vitamin B2) and sports a significant concentration of minerals like copper, and magnesium. Copper is necessary for the production of red blood cells, and magnesium relaxes blood vessels leading to brain. It has also been found to have curative effects on depression, and headache.

Whole buckwheats score highest of all “grains” in their ability to satisfy hunger, which is not surprising given its fiber content. Some evidence suggests it can help protect post menopausal women from breast cancer, and according to a study in The American Journal of Gastroenterology, “Eating foods high in insoluble fiber, such as buckwheat, can also help women avoid gallstones.”

Where to find Buckwheat:

This super food is easy to find in most food stores, but if you don’t want to go out shopping, you can order organic non GMO Buckwheat here.

Experiment on your own or try this, (and other) delicious recipes from The Healthy Foodie:

Buckwheat “Garden Salad”

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup buckwheat groats
• 2 cups water
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ chayotte, finely diced
• 12 large green olives, pitted and quartered
• 1 small yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup broccoli florets, chopped
• ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
• 50g walnut, chopped
• ½ cup fresh dill, chopped
• 2 tbs fresh mint, chopped
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

Instructions:

1) In a small saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Add buckwheat groats, reduce heat, cover and cook until all water has absorbed, about 10 minutes.

2) Remove lid and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes. You can also cook your buckwheat groats the previous day and let them cool overnight.

3) Add all ingredients, including cooled buckwheat to a large mixing bowl. Mix until well combined.

4) Serve immediately or refrigerate for a few hours (or overnight) to allow for flavors to develop.

Huffington Post has a list of ten mouthwatering recipes that are healthy and uncomplicated, including one for Buckwheat Risotto, Pita and even a Parfait!

Babble also has a list of fourteen yummy looking recipes. The one below for mushroom and swiss crepes is on my dinner of the week list. They recommend it as a summer dish, but it sure seems like a winter comfort meal to me. They also point out that “Having a big stack of pre-made crepes in your fridge or freezer makes for a host of quick lunch options.” Love that!

Directions say “Simply heat and add mushroom and swiss, sautéed greens, or a simple fruit and yogurt filling.”

 Classic Buckwheat Crepes (adapted from David Lebovitz) – makes 20 or so crepes

• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

In a medium bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Then whisk in all of the remaining ingredients. Cover bowl and chill overnight.

Set the batter out to come to room temperature for an hour before cooking. Preheat a large 10″ skillet over medium-high heat. Add a small pat of butter and use a paper towel to quickly spread the butter around the pan. Add 1/4 cup of batter and tilt the pan so that the batter spreads into a circle. Cook each side for 1 – 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Unused crepes can easily be stored wrapped in the fridge for a couple of days, or frozen for several months.

14 tasty buckwheat recipes the-surprising superfood you may not be eating

Buckwheat December grain of the month

Whatever your New Year’s resolutions may be, a hearty healthy breakfast is in order January 1^st. Perhaps you overindulged the night before, and need some assistance re-setting; maybe you need fuel for your first morning run of many. These slightly unconventional (and gluten free) blueberry pancakes can help you start the New Year off right.

The recipe below is a variation on Dr. Alejandro Junger’s blueberry pancakes from his book Clean Eats; both versions are delicious, I improvised based on existing pantry items. (One only has so many specialty flours on hand at a time!)

The main thing to note is that, being gluten free, the batter is a completely different experience to traditional pancakes. Don’t be alarmed! The resulting pancakes are delicious, protein-rich, and filling-without-bloating.  My batch was more than enough for breakfast and snacking throughout the day.

Serves 4

• 2 cups brown rice flour
• ½ cup all-purpose gluten free flour
• ½ cup almond flour
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• ¼ cup shaved coconut
• 1 ½ tsp. baking powder (gluten free options available)
• ½ tsp. sea salt
• 2 large eggs (the original recipe calls for pasture-raised, but organic or cage free are both good options)
• ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup melted coconut oil, plus extra for the pan
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground cardamom
• Maple Syrup for serving

In a large mixing bowl, stir together your flours, cinnamon, cardamom, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk your eggs, almond milk, water, liquid coconut oil and vanilla. Next, slowly pour the liquid over your dry ingredients, stirring until “the mixture is just incorporated.” (I found the batter to be surprisingly dry at first, but gentle stirring did the trick).

Heat 1-2 tbsp. of coconut oil in a large skillet/pan on medium heat, then spoon ¼ cup servings of batter into the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes before flipping, then cook for another 1-2 minutes. This is the most crucial step- don’t rush! Let the pancake cook for the full time to ensure golden deliciousness. Serve with maple syrup, berries, a jam of your preference, and prepare to be fueled up for the day to come. Side note? These pancakes have a delightful scone-like quality when munched on later in the day.